Saltmarshes are one of the most productive ecosystems found worldwide, providing habitat for a diverse group of organisms. Saltmarshes form the basis for many food webs and play a role in storm buffering and coastal stabilization. Critically they serve as nursery and refuge habitat for many fishes, crustaceans and birds. Unfortunately, saltmarshes are in decline worldwide due to anthropogenic destruction, the warming global climate and sea level rise. In this study, Iexamined arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the root tissue of two dominant saltmarsh grasses, Spartina patens and Spartina alterniflora (both Poaceae). AMF are known to colonize most plants, providing water and minerals in exchange for a carbon source. Nine sample cores were collected at the beginning, middle and end of the growth season for each species from the saltmarsh surrounding Wolfville Harbour, Nova Scotia. AMF root colonization counts were conducted using ink and vinegar staining to visualize the AMF microscopically and determine the strength of the mycorrhizal mutualism. DNA was extracted from the Spartina roots and subjected to a nested PCR to amplify the fungal ITS barcoding regions of the rDNA, purified through agarosegel extraction and re-amplified using a single general fungal primer set for sequencing. S. alterniflora showed an overall colonization rate of 9%, while S. patens exhibited a much higher colonization rate of 68%. One AMF species (Funneliformis geosporum, Glomeraceae) was identified from both Spartina species using DNA barcoding. The data collected throughout this study may help with the conservation and restoration of saltmarshes in Nova Scotia. Knowing the strength of the mutualism and understanding the AMF species forming them will help with the production of local AMF inoculants to aid in Spartina re-establishment in Nova Scotia.

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